Devices for moving rail wagons and the like



Jan. 3, 1956 s. w. GROSSMITH DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 N ms aw Ml A.

Jan. 3, 1956 G. w. GROSSMITH DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 l J I I w Sm m mm k F. w mm J 1. I 17/ mm N 1|| L a q 6 N N Jan. 3, 1956 G. w. GROSSMITH DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 G. w. GROSSMITH 2,729,172

DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Jan. 3, 1956 Filed Sept. 15. 1952 6 SheetsSheet 4 I 1956 G. w. GROSSMITH 2,729,172

DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16, 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Jan. 3, 1956 G. w. GROSSMITH 2,729,172

. DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 16. 1952 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 United States Patent DEVICES FOR MOVING RAIL WAGONS THE LIKE George Wilfred Grossmith, Bristol, England, assignor to Strachan & Henshaw, Limited, Whitehall, Bristol, England, a company of Great Britain Application September 16, 1952, Serial No. 309,846

Claims priority, application Great Britain September 18, 1951 Claims. (Cl. 104172) This invention relates to devices for moving rail wagons and the like, and particularly to devices which comprise a vehicle provided with wheels and/or skids adapted to be hauled or self-propelled and to engage a rail wagon so as to move it from one place to another, for example, in shunting or in locating the wagon for weighing, loading or unloading. The object of the invention is to provide an improved device of the kind referred to.,

A device, according to this invention, comprises a vehicle adapted to run on a track disposed between the usual track rails for a rail wagon or the like, and one or more retractable wheels or rollers mounted on said vehicle and adapted to be projected and retracted laterally so as to engage a wagon wheel when in the projected position. In alternative forms of the invention, the vehicle is provided with wheels adapted to run on a rail track, or it is provided with skids adapted to slide on a rail track or on a planar track surface, or it is provided with both wheels and skids adapted to run on a track comprising rails or both rails and a planar surface. The vehicle is adapted to be self-propelled or to be hauled by chains, ropes or other suitable means in either direction on its track, and the projectable and retractable wheels or rollers are interconnected to the hauling means whereby to be projected or retracted when a haulage effort is applied to the vehicle in one direction or the other. Locking means are preferably provided to retain the said wheels or rollers in the projected or retracted positions when desired and the said wheels or rollers preferably each comprise an assembly of two or more wheels or rollers in rolling contact with each other, one or more being adapted to engage and run on the wagon track when another is in engagement with the wagon wheel so that the vertical component of reaction of the thrust on the wagon Wheel is taken on the wagon track or the track for the vehicle instead of on the vehicle. The Wheels or rollers are preferably though not essentially arranged so as to contact the wheel treads rather than the wheel flanges in order to avoid the formation of a couple and also avoid the risk of damaging the wheel flanges. In preferred embodiments such as are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, three wheels or rollers are employed for each 'assembly, being arranged in a pyramid with the twobottom wheels or rollers for engaging the track and the top Wheel or roller for. engaging the wheel tread. 'Thisarrangement enables the device to operate in both directions of the track. l

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of one form of device according to this invention,

Fig. 2 is an endelevation, looking in the direction of arrow II, Fig. l, and

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view, on lineIII-III of Fig. 1 (in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 the roller assemblies are shown in the projected position). i

Fig. 4 is a similar view to Fig. 3 but showing the' being adapted to. slide on track rails 13, 13 disposed between the usual track rails 14, 14 for a wheeled rail wagon 15; thereby the vehicle 11 may be moved under and along a rake of wagons without fouling or being fouled by a wagon, the height of the vehicle 11 being such that it will pass under the axles 16 of the wagons.

Conveniently, the vehicle 11 has a body casing or cover 17 over a suitable chassis or frame (not shown). A draw bar 18 is disposed along the longitudinal axis ofthe vehicle and is mounted between guides 19 and 28 fixed to the vehicle, so as to be movable longitudinally of the vehicle. One end 20 of the draw bar, hereinafter referred to as the front end, is provided with shackle means 21 whereby said front end of the draw bar is secured to an endless chain 22 which runs under the vehicle to chain pulleys or the like at each end of the track, or otherwise suitably located, the return run of the chain being indicated at 23. A chain plate 24 is laid along the track, on thesleepers 25, for the chain to lie and run on without damaging the sleepers.

The draw bar 18 is provided with two pairs of stops 26, 27, disposed between the fixed guides 19, 28. The front stops 26 abut the rear ends of fixed guides 19, which thereby also operate as stops, to limit the forward movement of the draw bar relatively to the vehicle 11; similarly, the rear stops 27 abut the front ends of the fixed guides 28 to limit the rearward movement of the draw bar. Movement of the chain 22 in the appropriate di rection causes the draw bar to be moved longitudinally of the vehicle in one direction or the other.

Two yokes 29, 29 are disposed laterally of the draw bar 18 and are pivotally connected thereto by pins 30. The ends of the twoyokes are connected together by toothed rack bars 31 which are parallel to the draw bar, the ends of the rack bars being pivotally connected to the ends of the yokes by pins 32. One of the yokes 29 is connected to the draw bar 18 at or near the rear end of the latter, the other yoke being disposed a suitable distance in advance of said rear end.

Two-toothed quadrants 33, 33 are pivotally mounted at 34 in the vehicle and are each in meshing engagement with a toothed rack 31, the quadrants being disposed one to each side of the draw bar, yokes and rack bars assembly. Arms 35 project from each quadrant and have roller assemblies 36 mounted on their outer ends. Theiarrangement is such that when the draw bar 18 is drawn rearwards' in the vehicle 11 by the chain 22, to the position. shown in Fig. 4, the yokes 29 and rack bars 31 move rearwards with the draw bar and cause the quadrants 33 to move angularly .on their pivots so that the arms 35 with the roller assemblies 36 lie substantially longitudinally of the vehicle (Fig. 4). When hicle sides (Fig. 3). Each roller assembly 36 comprises 7 three rollers 38 39, 40 each rotatably mounted on a plate or other mounting on the outer end of the arm 35, the three rollers being arranged in triangular formation with the two rollers 38, 39 horizontally aligned at the base and the third roller 40 at the apex. The roller axles are all parallel to each other and project from the end of the arm so that when the assembly is projected from the vehicle as in Fig. 3, the said, axles are parallel with the axles 16 of the rail wagon 15. The rollers 38, 39, 40 are freely rotatable on their axles, and, whilst they, optionally, may be arranged so that the apex roller 40 either touches or does not touch the base rollers 38, 39, the said two base rollers do not touch each other. The arrangement is such that when the wheel assemblies 36 are projected from each side of the vehicle, the two base rollers 38, 39 of each assembly engage and run on the top of the track rails 14 for the rail wagon 15, whilst the apex rollers 40 are in position to engage the treads of rail wheels 41 of the wagon (Fig. 1). The triangular arrangement of the three rollers of a roller assembly 36 is so related to the diameter of the wagon wheels 41, and the relative positions of the'rollers are such, that when the apex roller 40 engages the tread of a rail wagon wheel 41 neither of the base rollers 38, 39 engages said tread. Although retraction of the roller assemblies into the vehicle is referred to in this specification, this term is intended to cover retraction of the assemblies sufficient for them to pass between the two wheels 41 on a wagon axle 16 without fouling said wheels.

Latch mechanism is provided in the vehicle 11 to engage the draw bar 18 in the positions effecting projection or retraction of the roller assemblies 36 so as to lock the assemblies in either of said positions against the pull of the draw bar 18 when it is desired to move the vehicle without said assemblies being operated. A suitable form of latch mechanism is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and comprises a lever 42 pivotally mounted on a pin 43 fixed to the vehicle, the lever being provided with a tooth 44 at one end adapted to engage in a recess 45 in the draw bar when the latter is in its extreme forward position relative to the vehicle, or to engage another recess 46 in the draw bar when the latter is in its extreme rearward position. The other end of the lever 42 is provided with a recess 47 which may be engaged by the hooked end of a shunters pole, said engagement being effected'through an opening 48 in the vehicle casing 17. The lever can be moved about its pivot 43, so that its toothed end 44 engages either of the recesses 45, 46, as shown in Fig. 4, whichever is in registration with the tooth, or lies out of engagement with said recesses, as shown in Fig. 3. The end of the lever containing the recess 47 is enlarged, as at 49, so that in all positions of the lever no part of the interior of the vehicle is exposed through the opening 48, the said enlarged end of the lever being in facial contact with the underside of the vehicle cover 17.

In use, with the roller assemblies 36 in the retracted position (Fig. 4), and the draw bar recess 46 engaged by the latch tooth 44 to prevent projection of the assemblies, the vehicle is hauled along its track and, if necessary, under some of a rake of Wagons, until it is under the wagon which it is desired to move. upon, the latch 44 is released by the shunter or other operative, and further hauling on the chain 22 and draw bar 18, in the direction of arrow 50, Fig. 3, causes the roller assemblies 36 to be projected (Fig. 3). Continued hauling on the .draw bar causes the vehicle 11 to be drawn along its track rails 13, the two base rollers 38, 39 of each assembly 36 to roll on the wagon track rails 14, and the apex roller 40 ,of each assembly to move into contact with the treads of he two wheels 41 on a wagon axle 16. Still further hauling caus s the wagon to be moved along its track, the apex-rollers 40 of the roller assemblies pushing against and rolling on the wagon wheel treads.

By providing the vehicle 11 with skids .12 adapted Thereto lie and slide on the rails 13, sufficient resistance to longitudinal movement of the vehicle is offered, when the draw bar 18 is moved to effect projection or retraction of the roller assemblies 36, to enable said projection or retraction to be effected before the vehicle begins to move. When projection or retraction of the roller assemblies is completed, the stops 26 or 27 on the draw bar 18 engage the co-acting guide-stops 19 or 28 on the vehicle whereby continued hauling on the rope or the like and the draw bar causes the vehicle to be moved along its track.

Rail wagon moving devices are known which provide means for engaging the axles of the wagons; this practice is not considered satisfactory by wagon owners as there is always the possibility of damage to the axles which are not designed to bear the stresses and strains applied to them directly by these known devices. A device according to this invention ensures that the moving effort is applied to the wagon at places designed to withstand stresses and strains applied directly thereto, that is, at the treads of the wheels. It is also known to provide devices which have means for engaging the wagon buffers, but these devices have the defect that the said means have to be lowered to enable the device to be moved under a wagon; furthermore, the said means cannot be elevated between two wagons which are in buffer to buffer contact with each other, in order that the said means may engage the buffers of one of the wagons.

When the vehicle has moved the wagon to the required position, the hauling chain 22 is pulled in the direction of arrow 51, Fig. l, to reverse the pull on the draw bar 18, whereupon the draw bar causes the roller assemblies 36 to be retracted into the vehicle, to the positions shown in Fig. 4, and the vehicle can be withdrawn from under the wagon. When the vehicle has been moved back to another wagon, the vehicle again is pulled in the forward direction to project the roller assemblies and engage and propel the new wagon.

The front end of the body cover or casing 17 is extended forwardly of the roller assemblies sufiiciently to cover the draw bar 18 when in its forwardly projected position and so prevent the draw bar being fouled by the coupling chains 56 of the wagon 15; furthermore the extreme front end of the casing is curved downwardly, as at 57, to facilitate the coupling chains 56 riding easily over the vehicle. A similar facility is provided at the rear end of the casing by the extension 58. The vehicle also, in plan, has its longitudinal sides curved and tapered inwardly towards its front end, as shown at 59, Fig. 3; such an arrangement may enable the front end of the vehicle to operate as a plough to move to one side any obstruction on the track.

The device may be used to move wagons singly or in rakes or multiples, around curves or up or down inclines.

In the event of the wagon axle 16 not being at right angles to the draw bar 18 or the longitudinal axis of the vehicle 11, for example, when the wagon is being propelled around a curved track, only one of the roller assemblies 36 would make contact with a Wagon wheel 41 if the two roller assemblies were projected from the vehicle 11 at fixed angles; such a situation would cause the vehicle to skew on its track and produce side thrusts on the vehicle and the track. This is avoided by the provision of the assembly of yokes 29 and rack bars 31. Assuming that one of the roller assemblies is urged rearwards relatively to the other assembly, by reason of the first assembly being in contact with its associated wagon wheel whilst the other assembly has moved out of contact with its associated wheel the said first assembly pivots rearwards about its pivot 34 and thereby causes the rack bar 31 which meshes with the quadrant 33 to move forward relatively to the draw bar 18, whereupon the two yokes 29 pivot about the pins 30 on the draw bar to cause the other rack bar to move rearwards, thereby causing the other roller assembly to pivot forwards, Fig. 5. By this arrangement any unequal pressure on the roller assemblies is compensated and the two assemblies are retained in contact with their associated wagon wheels to which they apply equal pressure.

A modified compensating arrangement is illustrated in Figs. 6.-'and 7; therein, the draw bar 18 is provided with a toothed rack 52 on each side. One pair of stops 26 only is provided on the draw bar. A yoke 53 is pivotally mounted on a pivot 55 which is secured to the casing and/ or chassis of the vehicle, the yoke extending laterally to each side of the draw bar. The axis of the pivot 55 is in the plane or" the longitudinal centre line of the draw bar, but there is no direct connection between the draw bar and the yoke, the draw bar being slidable relatively to the yoke. Mounted in the yoke, on each side of the draw bar, is a pinion 54 in toothed engagement with one.

of the toothed racks 52, the arrangement being such that the pivoted yoke 53 may make a limited rocking movement about its pivot 55. The toothed quadrants 33 of the roller assemblies 36 engage the pinions 54. By dimensioning the parts so that the radius of the pitch circle of the toothed quadrant is not less than the elfective length of the arm 35 from the pivot 34 to the roller assembly 36 the balance of forces will keep said roller assembly in the projected position. The pivotal movement of the yoke 53 provides compensation between the roller assemblies so that both are maintained in contact with the wheel treads within the angle of movement permitted to the yoke and thus the thrusts on both sides of the vehicle are balanced at all times irrespective of any unevenness of the track or curvature therein.

The device may also be used for controlling the movement of a wagon or wagons, for example, down an incline. The vehicle may be disposed in front of a wagon on an incline, with the roller assemblies projected and with the rollers thereof in contact with the treads of wheels of the wagon. When the vehicle is allowed to descend the incline, controlled by the hauling chain or the like, the wagon will follow, gravitationally, and its descent, for example, to a tippler, will be controlled. In another use of the device, the vehicle is allowed to descend an incline slowly, with a wagon following it freely; when the freely descending wagon approaches the vehicle the treads of the leading Wheels of the wagon will make contact with the rollers of the projected roller assemblies of the moving vehicle and thereby the vehicle will retard progress of the wagon, the wagon thereafter continuing its descent of the incline under the control of the vehicle.

The triangular arrangement of the rollers of the roller assemblies, with two rollers at the base and to a wagon through the apex roller, the assemblies when under load.

The outer ends of the rollers 38, 39 and 40 of the roller assemblies are domed so as to facilitate themsliding over the upper surfaces of the wagon track rails into position thereon when the assemblies are projected from the vehicle.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

a load applied ensures stability of l. A device for moving rail wagons and the like, comprising a vehicle adapted to move in a path between and in substantial parallelism with the usual track rails for a rail wagon or the like, supporting means, between said track rails, supporting said vehicle for such movement, a draw member carried by said vehicle, propelling means connected to said draw member and adapted to move the latter substantially along said path, a lostmotion connection interconnecting said vehicle and said draw member, a roller constrained to move bodily with said vehicle during the mentioned movement of the latter, shiftable mounting means, supporting said roller on said vehicle and adapting said roller for movement laterally of said vehicle between a projected, wagonmoving position in line with and adjacent to a wheel of such a wagon and a retracted position clear of wagonmoving relationship to said wheel, and releasable locking means coacting with said draw member and said vehicle to constrain the latter to move along its said path with the draw member when said wheel is in its retracted position; the said mounting means coacting with said draw member, during lost-motion movement of the latter relatively to the vehicle, to impart said lateral movement to said roller, and continued movement of said draw member by said propelling means, following such lost-motion, roller-projecting movement, being operative to cause said roller to push the adjacent wagon wheel and move the wagon.

2. A device, according to claim 1, wherein the roller is part of an assembly which comprises a series of three rollers freely mounted on horizontal axes parallel to each other, the said three rollers being disposed in triangular formation with two rollers at the base and one roller at the apex, the two base rollers being located so as to lie and roll on the wagon track, with the apex roller in position to engage the tread of a wagon wheel, when the roller assembly is projected from the vehicle.

3. A device, according to claim 1, wherein said locking means comprise a manually operable latch coacting with said draw member to lock the latter at either of opposite limits of movement relatively to the vehicle.

4. A device, according to claim 1, the said supporting means being rails additional to said wagon track rails and said vehicle having supporting skids adapted to slide on said additional rails.

5. A device, according to claim 1, further including a second such roller, coacting, similarly to the first roller, with said vehicle and said draw member but movable laterally oppositely to saidfirst roller, whereby said rollers coact with wagon wheels at opposite sides of a wagon to move the latter on its track rails.

6. A device, according to claim 5, the two said rollers being movable oppositely in substantial unison and adapted to coact simultaneously with the said opposite wagon wheels to move the wagon.

7. A device, according to claim 5, further including compensating means, operative between said draw member and said rollers, ensuring engagement of both said rollers with the opposite wagon wheels.

8. A device, according to claim 5, wherein each of said rollers is mounted pivotally on the vehicle and is provided with a toothed quadrant which is in toothed gear connection with a toothed rack mounted on said draw member in the vehicle, the draw member being disposed longitudinally of the vehicle and being slidably movable therein, means being provided to connect said draw member to a hauling device so that, when a hauling effect is applied to the draw member, the toothed rack and quadrant connections cause both rollers to be projected from or retracted into the vehicle, stop means being provided to limit the longitudinal movement of the draw member in the vehicle to enable further hauling effort to effect movement of the vehicle along its track.

9. A device, according to claim 8, wherein the toothed racks, one for each roller, are in direct engagement with on the draw member, an idle toothed pinion is disposed between and in meshing engagement with each associated toothed raek .and toothed quadrant, the pinions being rotatably mounted on the ends of a yoke which is disposed laterally of the draw member, the yoke being pivotally mounted, medially of its ends, in the vehicle casing, the pivot for the yoke being in the plane of the longitudinal centre line of the draw member, and the draw member being slidable relatively to the yoke.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Frolich May 29, 1928 Aitken May 5, 1931 Buetell June 28, 1932 Buetell May 17, 1938 Hill Dec. 9, 1947 Kelley et al May 3, 1949 

